Disclaimer: Strote says he's very happy I don't own this story. If I did it wouldn't be as exciting as it is now.

A/N: This one shot was inspired by the word gem. I saw this word many times over the last few days and every time I wanted to read it as germs. So I decided that I would write a story with germs instead of gems. Germs are so much more interesting then gems anyway

Germs

'Germs of the Nation.' There was only one 'nation', so it was obvious who they called germs. Germs usually come with other germs and of many kinds as well. Now the ones being called germs don't agree with their new found title and rather like the idea of handling the situation a bit like a germ might, but that would only prove them correct.

"Arrgh!" Zuko swiftly turned his back to Sokka and stomped his foot on the metal floor, scarring it black. His dark silk robe fluttering with his movement, "What are we going to do!"

'...They're germs, and like all germs they need to be gotten rid of-' His father had announce to their nation. They'd been there at the time, hiding, and Zuko, hours later, still threw the same fit.

"It doesn't matter," Sokka said again, he lost how many times they'd gone over this, "We are still going to continue Aang's training as planned. Aang, Katara and I have have been through this before many times and nothing has changed."

"But everything has changed!" Zuko growled irrationally, turning back to Sokka, who sat with his legs crossed on their bed. "He knows about you and about Aang. And He has the power to do something."

Sokka smiled gently at Zuko. "But it doesn't matter, because you have me and we're not dead yet. We're going to continue living and we're going to end this war together." Just like they had planned. Nothing really has changed. They're still going to be together.

Zuko sighed heavily and stepped closer to Sokka, "How can you be so calm? You know what's coming just as much as I do..."

Sokka reached up and grabbed Zuko's palm and squeeze it gently, "Because I know the strongest firebending sword master will be my side the entire way and together we can defeat anything that comes our way." He lightly pulled Zuko down to the bed beside him.

Positioning himself comfortably next to the other, he held the other's hand firmly as though that was the only thing grounding him. He didn't so much as smile. Thoughts of his people coming after them with even more enthusiasm than before still racked his brain to the North Pole and back.

"Zuko." Sokka said a bit more firmly then before. "From the beginning of this journey you have chased after me. Along side you, were firebenders that wanted nothing more than to see Aang's blood. But since then we have gained you and many other powerful allies. You're nation has come on strong and every time we have came out alright. What makes you think we can't do it again?"

Zuko watched as Sokka spoke. They were words of truth; words that made him breath easy and just smile at the other's confident eyes. Time crystallized and shattered. Nothing else mattered now.

Sokka placed his hand across Zuko's chest and pushed him down to the bed so his head rested against a soft, red pillow. "Come now, it's been a long day. Sleep." Sokka layed down next to him caressed his cheek.

Letting out a deep, calming breath, Zuko closed his eyes and relaxed. The familiar feeling of his companion rested beside to him as their heavy blanket slide over him.

"Any where you go, we'll go together."